Delmar Bard Residence and Carriage House

Edmonton

Street Address:	10544 - 84 Avenue NW
Community:	Edmonton
Boundaries:	Portion of Lot 12 and Lots 13 and 14, Block 84, Plan I9
Contributing Resources:	Building: 2 Landscape(s) or Landscape Feature(s): 2

ATS Legal Description:

Mer	Rge	Twp	Sec	LSD
4	24	52	29	10 (ptn.)

PBL Legal Description (Cadastral Reference):

Plan	Block	Lot	Parcel
I9 I9 I9	84 84 84	14 13 12

Latitude/Longitude:

Latitude	Longitude	CDT	Datum Type
53.520298	-113.502536	GPS	NAD 83

UTM Reference:

Northing	Easting	Zone	CDT	Datum Type

Recognition

Recognition Authority:	Province of Alberta
Designation Status:	Provincial Historic Resource
Date of Designation:	2000/06/30

Historical Information

Built:	1912 to 1912
Period of Significance:	N/A
Theme(s):	Developing Economies : Trade and Commerce Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life : Architecture and Design
Historic Function(s):	Residence : Single Dwelling
Current Function(s):	Residence : Single Dwelling
Architect:
Builder:
Context:	HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE Strathcona, named after Donald Smith of the CPR, was first incorporated as a town in 1899. The railway had arrived there in 1891, spurring development in the area. Incorporation as a City occurred in 1907 when the population was 4,500. There was a steady growth in the residential and commercial sectors and in February 1912, when amalgamation occurred with the City of Edmonton, the population was 6,000. The Bard house was built in 1912 for Mr. Delmar Bard, an entrepreneur who emigrated from St. Paul, Minnesota. An orphan, Bard had been 'indentured' to a farmer for his keep, but in 1896, he joined a wagon train to Alberta. He lived in several places arriving in Edmonton in 1907. The family moved to Edmonton's southside in 1907 but did not purchase the site of their future home until September 1912. At the time of its construction, the Neo-Georgian style of the Bard house was considered to be the most appropriate architectural design for the respected gentlemen of Strathcona. It is a two-and one-half storey structure, faced with red stretcher bond brick capped by a medium-pitched hip roof. It presents a balanced, symmetrical facade typical to the Neo-Georgian style. The Bard house was and is one of the grand residences of Strathcona and represents in its rational design and quality of detailing a house type popular throughout Canada and one which reflects a particular class of entrepreneurial businessman. HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE In 1891, the Calgary and Edmonton Railway arrived at the south side of the North Saskatchewan River, across from the Edmonton Settlement. Here the railway company subdivided a townsite called South Edmonton, and proceeded to set up subsidiary businesses and sell lots. South Edmonton grew to some size, as the Low Level Bridge into Edmonton was not constructed until 1900. The firm of Osler, Hammond and Nanton managed the community until 1899, when it was incorporated as the Town of Strathcona. After the turn of the century, the Town began to grow at a frantic pace, as did Edmonton, and was incorporated as a City in 1907. Among the areas included in the original C and E Subdivision was a section of land laying south of Whyte Avenue and east of Mill Creek, earmarked for residential development. For years this district remained undeveloped. However, with the rapid expansion of the early 1900's, and the amalgamation of Strathcona with the City of Edmonton in 1912, a number of dwellings began to appear. In the buoyant economic mood of the time, certain of these were comparatively elaborate, such as the house on Lot 11, Block 84, built for Delmar Bard. Bard was then an apparent rag to riches story, of which the district then boasted of many. Born an orphan in St. Paul Minnesota he had been 'indentured' to a farmer in his youth. In 1896, he joined a wagon train to the North-West, and settled in St. Albert. He worked at various jobs until 1905, when he became an agent at the Alexander Indian Reserve near Riviere Qui Barre. Here he married his first wife, Ella, but moved to Strathcona in 1907, where he became a roads and bridge inspector for the newly established provincial Department of Public Works. He also began to invest in local businesses, such as a meat market on Whyte Avenue, and began to accumulate some wealth. In December 1912, Bard purchased Lot 11, Block 24 from Mary O'Keefe, whom he had known in Riviere Qui Barre. He then contracted the Keith Brothers to design a two and one-half storey Neo-Georgian house. The following year, the ornate, red brick Bard residence was built at a cost of 6,500 dollars. Its construction drew the attention of the Strathcona Plaindealer, which assured readers that the house would become 'one of the best in the city'. Over the years, the dwelling went on to become a showpiece for the community to be known as Cloverdale. The historical significance of the Bard residence lies in its representation of the boom period in Edmonton's history, which preceded World War One. During this time, countless minor 'mansions' were built for people who had frequently come from obscure backgrounds, but had done well in the economic growth of the time. Many of these wanted to demonstrate their advanced station by building elaborate and ornate homes for their families. In the case of Bard, this included a library and a separate carriage house. The Bard residence stands out among the Edwardian homes in that it has been virtually unaltered over the years.

Additional Information

Object Number:	4665-0682
Designation File:	DES 0262
Related Listing(s):	4664-0116
Heritage Survey File:	HS 22929
Website Link:
Data Source:	Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch, Old St. Stephen's College, 8820 - 112 Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P8 (Des. 262)